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Project Gap Analysis Strategy
October 31, 2014
Project Description
PJ Enterprises is a catalog distributor with ambitious growth goals. The company
has retained the services of our instructional design consultancy to address their
training needs in support of their growth projections. As part of the project,
Training By Design will also examine the overall business environment at PJ
Enterprises to maximize the effects of any training developed and provide
additional recommendations to improve their operations.
Information Needed
After a preliminary review of PJ Enterprises operations, the Training By Design
team has compiled a list of areas for further examination. These include:
Who is our main point of contact? Who are the key stakeholders for this
task?
Call center capacity, from a technical perspective: Is it possible existing
infrastructure will not support the projected growth?
Online Ordering System: Does PJ Enterprises intend to develop an online
purchasing capability to relieve pressure from the call center operators.
What is the timeline for deployment?
What training methodologies has PJ Enterprises experimented with? What
is the budget for internal labor to allow employees to attend training?
Who do they intend to do the instruction – internal staff, vendors, or
Training By Design staff?
Training By Design would like additional information about the incentive
program – flexibility, budget, tolerance for modification, etc.
What are the reasons for relatively high employee turnover in the call
center? How does PJ Enterprises retention compare with industry
standards? Can we interview line employees to get further insight into this
area?
As a rough order of magnitude, what is the scope/scale of the company’s
desire to grow its internal customer list? What is management’s timeline
for this project? How do they intend to achieve this goal?
How does PJ Enterprise’s management team communicate process,
procedure, and standards to its workforce?
What does success look like (in terms other than net revenue gains)
Team Strategy
The team suggests a strategy of one-on-one interviews and surveys with employees
at different levels, performing different functions within the organization. While
PJ Enterprises suspects call center training is a root cause, Training By Design
would like to execute a more holistic needs analysis that includes a review of:
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recruiting/interviewing/hiring, management training, and incentivization. The
team would also like to evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of PJ
Enterprise’s call center, and enter a discussion with leadership regarding the
viability of shifting some workload to an online purchasing portal.
Analysis Plan
Analysis
Activity/Method
Target Audience Purpose or Information You Hope
to Gain
Team Member
Responsible
1. Interviews Telephone
Operators
In the current working
environment, what has training
prepared you to deal with? What
do you feel the organization could
benefit from if they trained more
formally? What training do you
personally feel would enable you
to do your job better, and to derive
greater satisfaction? What
customer issues do you routinely
encounter day-to-day? How can
training be better?
Michele
2. Hiring Process
Review and
Compensation
Plan Discussion
HR Managers What is the process, is it legal, and
why does the company have a
retention problem?
Jamison
3. Training
Program
Review
Telephone
Operators
Customer
Service
Supervisors
Determine current state of
training, understand the types of
training currently used.
Sophia
4. Customer
Experience
Data
Customers What happens when problems are
brought to management’s
attention?
Dave
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Task 1 – Employee Interviews and Training Program Review
Details of Activity/Method The Training By Design team anticipates the bulk of information needed to structure the
training program will be derived through interviews and follow-on discussions with line
workers. The team will use a sequence of online surveys followed by in-person interviews
to gain an understanding of:
- The needs of telephone operators.
- The current procedures?c
- The correct procedures.
- Factors are impacting retention at PJ Enterprises.
The team will also use the same strategy with each of the four the Customer Service Supervisors.
The goal of this discussion is similar, and should provide insight to:
- The needs of the Customer Service Supervisors.
- The common hygiene factors impacting working conditions at PJ Enterprises.
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Questions to Ask Catalog Division Employees The questions below will be integrated into an online survey mechanism.
Questions for the Online Survey – Telephone Operators and Customer Service Supervisors 1. How long have you been employed at PJ Enterprises:
< 1 year 1-3 years 3+ years
2. Overall, how satisfied are you with your job? Very satisfied Satisfied Not satisfied, but no unsatisfied Unsatisfied Very unsatisfied
3. What factors about your job give you the most satisfaction? 4. What factors about your job are the most significant irritants? What might cause you to seek
new employment? 5. Do you feel you got enough training to do your job?
Yes No
6. Describe the types of training you have received to make you better at your job. 7. Which method of training do you prefer?
Classroom Internet Video
8. Would seeing and touching the products be helpful in the training? Yes No
9. Are employee meetings helpful? Yes No, because_______________
10. Identify two things that motivate you.
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Task 2 - Hiring Process Review and Compensation Plan – Human Resources Managers
Details of Activity/Method Training By Design will interview Human Resources Managers at PJ Enterprises to:
- Understand the specifics of their hiring process
- Review exit interviews to determine reasons employees leave
- Understand/gain insight into PJ Enterprise’s compensation strategy
Training by design will interview Human Resources managers using the questions below.
Following the interviews, Training By Design will review the data collected, determine key
response topics, organize the topics, compare the results of the interview to industry best practices,
and present results to the stakeholders.
Questions to Ask Catalog Division Employees In addition to looking at the exit interviews, the Training By Design Team will use the
following questions as a guide to execute this activity:
- What does the telephone operator hiring process at PJ Enterprise consist of?
Expected responses should include the various stages from job application
vetting through hiring and up to onboarding.
- How are telephone operators compensated for quality work? How does PJ
Enterprises seek to recruit and retain “best in class” operators?
- What are the industry norms for compensation, and how does PJ Enterprises
compare? (This is an off line research question the team will answer using
external resources)
- How do you feel employee retention at PJ Enterprises compares to industry
standards?
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Task 3 – Training Program Review
Details of Activity/Method This activity will target trainers and training designers, telephone operators and
supervisory personnel. We may also seek access to Human Resources and Management
Personnel. The purpose of this activity is to gain an understanding of what the course
currently contains. We know the training room contains a LCD projector and the trainees may
learn best by hearing and working with information as opposed to reading the information. We
will review the current content and design of the Power Point decks used in pre-catalog
release training seminars.
Task 4 - Merchandising
Details of Activity/Method Training by Design will interview Buyer Staff at PJ Enterprises to: 1) Find out the catalog
item selection process. TBD will meet with Buyer Staff at PJ Enterprises to interview
them, using a series of questions related to trade show and vendor numbers, product
quality, and overall selection processes. Upon completion of the interview process,,
Training By Design will review the data, determine key response topics, organize the
information and present the results to stakeholders.
Questions to Ask The Training By Design Team will use the following questions as a guide to execute this
activity:
- How are items selected for the seasonal catalogs?
- What types of trade shows does the buying staff attend?
- How many vendors are involved in PJ Enterprises Merchandising process?
- What is the baseline of quality the company seeks to provide?
- How are employees engaged in the merchandising process?
- Do Telephone Operators understand the products they are representing to
customers?
Task 5 – Customer Experience Data
Details of Activity/Method This is expected to be a quick activity – we seek to gain insight to the customer’s
perception of value and service from their experience at PJ Enterprises. We will review
the customer feedback already available to look for trends. We will also seek permission
and access to recent customers to derive independent data.
Questions to Ask
- Do you have customer satisfaction survey data that you can share with us to
aid our analysis?
- (If yes) How do you use this data to improve operations in the call center?
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- (If no) Would you be willing to allow us to contact recent customers to
interview them about their purchasing experience?
Roadblocks & Dependencies
Roadblocks are to be expected on a project of this nature – the fact is that people are reluctant to change.
We hope to establish a project charter from the beginning, and we plan to help PJ Enterprises with strategic
communication and messaging throughout the project. Our major concerns at this point:
- Employee Resistance -- do they want to participate?
- Timing and access to employees. What is their coverage plan so we have
access without further disrupting operations. Are they being paid to
participate?
Strategies to Mitigate Risks
- Advise employees that their inputs are confidential and won’t be shared with
PJ Enterprises Leadership (outside of aggregated data)
- Tie participation to something they want?
- Make sure they know what’s in it for them?
- Keep the surveys SHORT!
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IMPROVING SERVICE AND SALES – AN ANALYSIS REPORT Prepared for PJ Enterprises
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Performance Analysis Report
November 9, 2014
Introduction
This report is submitted to PJ Enterprises on behalf of Training By Design
Incorporated. PJ has asked for Training By Design to design, develop, and deliver
a learning program for the telephone operators to substitute the training course that
has previously been done by Sheena Perez and Judie Thompson. The company
would like to increase sales and revenue while improving customer service and
employee retention.
Background
Many PJ employees had the opportunity to interact with our team. Training By
Design met with Jane (management) to get more information about the customer
service complaints and employee turnover. After this meeting, Training By Design
suggested a full performance analysis be done to examine PJ’s business operations.
Performance Analysis elements included interviews with Jane (management),
Judie Thompson (catalog director), Sheena Perez (merchandising manager) at PJ
Enterprises. A group interview was done with operators and supervisors to explore
thoughts regarding catalog sales, customer service, incentives, PJ’s mission and the
monthly meetings. In addition, managers, previous trainers, and telephone
operators completed electronic surveys, which gathered information regarding
ordering, training, and general PJ information. Last, we observed working
conditions and employee interactions. The following report details our
observations and recommendations.
Purpose of the Report
This report is provided in response to your request for a training solution to issues
of customer service and employee retention. We understand PJ Enterprise’s
aggressive growth goals for the future and have target areas and recommended
solutions to enable your team for future success.
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Version Control
Version Date Comments
DRAFT 11/7/2014 Initial document
Revision 1 11/8/2014 Completed Training Plan, Tech Edits
Revision 2 11/9/2014 Minor Technical Edits
Incorporated Charts
Added Coversheet
Revision 3 11/9/2014 Final Team Inputs reviewed and
incorporated
Analysis Methods
The Training by Design team has completed our initial data collection and analysis
of results. We approached our research with a six-point process. The table below
offers a brief description of each activity, the audience we targeted, and the
purpose of the activity/information we were seeking to gain.
Analysis
Activity/Method
Target Audience Purpose or Information You Hope to Gain
1. Employee
Interviews and
Electronic Survey
Line employees What’s wrong? What’s right? How can
training be better?
2. Hiring Process
Review and
Compensation Plan
Discussion
HR Managers What is the process, is it legal, and why
does the company have a retention
problem?
3. Training Program
Review
Telephone Operators
Customer Service
Supervisors
Determine current state of training,
understand the types of training currently
used, and examine potential for more
student-centric methodologies.
4. Customer
Experience Data
Customers What do they do when they find out about
issues
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Data Summary: Employee Interviews and Electronic Survey
The above graphic expresses results relevant to the issues identified in the
employee interviews. Of most concern, out of the 20 operators that responded to
the survey 18 reported an issue with job training. Secondary concerns include low
or absent meeting/seminar compensation and poor product training.
Importantly, the issue with job training matches with what PJ Enterprises has
requested from Training By Design. These numbers are based on the raw data
gathered during employee interviews and surveys.
Data Summary: Infrastructure/Environment Analysis
PJ Enterprises is in the process of updating systems in its call center. The current
environment has significant shortfalls that impact telephone operator efficiency.
See findings and suggestions sections of this report for additional detail.
Data Summary: Hiring Process/Compensation Plan Discussions
The hiring process is informal via an initial phone interview. The interview process
includes a phone interview done with prospective telephone operators. The phone
calls are structured as sample phone calls that an operator would do with
customers. There is no follow-up interview in-person. Hiring is based on etiquette
over the phone during the initial phone interview. Specifically, managers and
previous trainers reported that people are hired based on courtesy demonstrated in
the initial phone interview.
New hire training is outlined in more detail in the “Training Program Review”
summary.
Compensation was viewed differently between operators and management.
Compensation was reported by management and previous trainers as up to industry
standards, yet in exit interviews the operators mentioned the money was not
competitive. It should be reported that operators specifically found customers too
impatient making the money not worth the hassle. In addition, there is no payment
or compensation for monthly meetings and employee attendance is low for these
meetings. Management reported wanted to keep these meetings optional.
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In addition, there is no compensation for training. The theory is that if the
employees are trained well, it will show up in sales, incentives, and salaries.
Data Summary: Training Program Review
The training program is currently sparse and simple. The training for telephone
operators can be divided into two types: one for catalog training done quarterly,
one for onboarding.
Onboarding training includes communicated expectations over the phone during
the initial phone interview. Training on the system is done with operators the first
day of work with a supervisor, after which, operators are expected to perform well
in completing orders without review of processes or procedures. This onboarding
is in the form of orientation that includes 2 hours of company history, 2 hours of
demonstrations on the order entry system, 2 hours on current products, and 2 hours
filling out paperwork. The order entry system training is purely based on features
and benefits. No case scenarios are used for the training. The TOs reported the
system is easy to use after about three days of experience placing orders. Human
resources reported operators do okay but take a awhile to get up to speed, this was
not seen as uncommon.
Catalog training is done four times a year two weeks prior to the release of new
catalogs and is unpaid time for the Telephone Operators. Training content is done
by Sheena and Judie (no formal training education) via a 2.5 hour PowerPoint
presentation solely based on the new merchandise in the catalog followed by a 30
minute question and answer session. TOs reported that the training sessions are
inadequate and boring. Learning assessments are not used to measure training
success or TO knowledge and performance.
There are no training manuals to assist trainers nor learner materials provided to
the telephone operators; although, a paper copy of the product guide is passed out
to TOs upon training end. TOs reported that the product guide is difficult to use
and the new products are mixed in with all of the old ones.
When asked about an online training system, the two trainers didn’t know much
about the outcomes or possibilities with this style of training delivery. It was
reported that TOs and managers have never received computer-based training in
the past.
Other trainings were not reported. Specifically, there is no training for supervisors
regarding leadership and management and there is no operator training for
telephone etiquette, customer service, or procedural training for the order
placement system. If there is a “service” issue while attempting to complete an
order, the operator transfers the customer to a customer service operator.
The reason for requesting our service in revamping the training is that PJ expects
to see a reduction in customer complaints and staff turnover. These trainings will
become a part of the staff development program for PJ Enterprises. Telephone
etiquette was mentioned by management as a subject to be included in future
training.
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Data Summary: Call Issue Report Data
Surveys were administered at the end of each call with the same telephone operator
that placed the order. Questions asked relate to whether the customer was satisfied
with the order placement system, the operator’s services, the catalog
contents/items, and overall satisfaction
Customer service surveys revealed that 6 out of 7 customers reported that they
were unsatisfied with their experience placing an order by phone with PJ
Enterprises. In addition, two out of three customers reported a complaint about the
telephone operator. Complaints reported relate to product knowledge, telephone
etiquette, and prompt response (wait times are long). 50% of respondents reported
that they were not inclined to do business with PJ Enterprises again as a result of
poor customer service they received.
Analysis Findings
Our findings will address data discovered during employee interviews,
infrastructure/environment analysis, review of hiring processes, training program
review, merchandising review, and our review of customer service data.
Employee Interviews
Our employee interviews suggest that new hire employees enter the work center
excited to get to work and motivated to perform. There is evidence to suggest that
a lack of formal training, lack of follow-up on-the-job training, the lack of a
computerized performance support system, and PJ Enterprises overall
compensation/recognition strategies quickly de-motivate employees. There is
evidence to suggest that call center employees are frustrated by their lack of
proficiency. Further evidence suggests that the product-centric quarterly training
sessions are inadequate to satisfy learning objectives. Employees are also
asked/expected to attend sales meetings and training seminars on their own time –
they are not compensated for their participation in these events. Employee
turnover is above industry norms.
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Many of the company’s processes and practices seem appropriate for a relatively
small operation where quality is easy to monitor and standards can be
communicated by word of mouth. As the company’s workforce grows in size, and
particularly in light of high turnover, PJ Enterprises must invest now in training
and infrastructure support. Additionally, the company should consider some
attention to strategic communication in the form of enhanced mission and vision
statements.
Infrastructure/Environment Analysis
PJ Enterprises is in the process of updating systems in its call center. The initial
rollout for the system is Q3 2015, however, management suggests the project may
be slightly behind schedule. In the meantime, the current system is operating at
approximately 85% capacity. There is little attention to the ergonomic
environment for workers – they are forced to work with paper copy reference
materials and hand held telephone handsets. Existing systems are slow; it is
anticipated that the updates will fix this problem. There is no online ordering
capability; all orders pass through the human operators in the call center.
Hiring Process/Compensation Plan Discussions
PJ Enterprises management believes its compensation plan is on par with
competitors. Exit interviews suggest a majority of employees leave for improved
strategies. The company has no formal onboarding program. Initial workcenter
training is limited and inadequate. The company has an incentive program for
exceptional performance, but it is limited to a small discount on merchandise –
there are no cash incentives, commissions, or bonuses available for exceptional
performers. Managers suggest they may not have the ability to access, interview,
recruit, and retain the best available candidates for open positions. There does not
appear to be a coherent promotion process in place.
Employees are also asked/expected to attend sales meetings and training seminars
on their own time – they are not compensated for their participation in these
events.
Training Program Review
The current training program is inadequate. There is no formal onboarding
process, no work center introduction, and no initial skills training to baseline
performance expectations and standards. Follow-on training for new product roll-
out is PowerPoint based and ineffective according to managers, supervisors, and
employees.
Merchandising Review
PJ Enterprises is satisfied with its merchandise selection process. We uncovered
no evidence to suggest that customers’ desires enhanced quality or broader product
selections.
Customer Experience Data Review
Reviews of customer call experience were quite revealing. PJ Enterprises has
collected its own customer experience trends data to reinforce the conclusion that
job aids are outdated, training is insufficient, and infrastructure is inadequate to
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provide world-class customer service. Telephone Operators are not equipped with
the skills to deal with common, fundamental customer issues. Overall, PJ
Enterprises customer experience ratings are below industry standards.
Identification of Needs
We highlight three primary needs areas for consideration as critical deficiencies as
PJ Enterprise’s seeks to meet its aggressive growth goals – Training, Infrastructure,
and Customer Service.
Training
New training, mentoring, and compensation programs to meet industry and
professional standards for both line workers and supervisors. Training and
mentoring programs could be expanded to include comprehensive training for new
hires and new catalog products. Compensation can be offered during trainings and
meetings to improve employee attendance and overall preparedness.
Infrastructure
PJ Enterprises needs infrastructure to support increased revenue from orders and
telephone operator efficiency. The system capacity needs to match usage in order
to maximize system benefits and get the most bang for the buck.
Customer Service and Performance Support
Improved customer service and enhance customer satisfaction. PJ Enterprises
needs a customer service procedure that includes preventative efforts by way of
training telephone operators in customer service and phone etiquette.
“PJ Enterprises will provide customer satisfaction by offering premium merchandise products at
competitive pricing and providing excellent and knowledgeable customer service. We will gain
market share through excellence in all we do.”
Recommended Solutions for PJ Enterprises to Consider
While Training By Design is prepared to tackle the challenges PJ Enterprises faces
to professionalize its customer service / telephone operators staff with training, the
organization also needs to address some factors external to trainng:
As PJ Enterprises strives to meet its growth goals, it will need to consider
training, mentoring, and compensation to professionalize its sales force.
PJ Enterprises should consider additional infrastructure investment to
include work center upgrades, ergonomic enhancements, computerized
performance support systems, and an online web portal for a portion of
customers to complete their own orders.
As PJ Enterprises strives to meet its growth goals, it will need to consider
training and compensation strategies to recruit, access, and retain line-
level leaders who can help grow the business.
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PJ Enterprise’s customer experience is well below industry benchmarks.
This is helpful information and PJ should continue to survey customers
on their experience. Consideration should be placed in using an
automated survey completion system so that the operators can move on
to the next order placement call.
The training strategy should be structured with the end vision in mind to
ensure content and delivery are appropriate for employee and
organizational needs.
Our sister company, Strategy By Design stands ready to engage with PJ
Enterprises for compensation plan, formal infrastructure assessment, performance
support system design, testing and implementation, and web portal design.
Proposed Solutions for Training By Design to Carry Out
Training By Design is ideally suited to help with the overhaul of PJ Enterprise’s
training program. We have experience in this industry and have helped a vast array
of clients in similar situations. Our work in one setting improved productivity by
38%, reduced customer complaints and error rates by more than two-thirds, and
has resulted in greatly enhanced retention. Year-over-year net revenue jumped
40%. While we cannot guarantee similar results in this case, we have every reason
to expect we can help PJ Enterprise meet their goals.
For this program overhaul, we recommend a three tiered approach.
Initial Systems Training/New Hire Orientation: This block would focus on the
equipment the telephone operators use on a day-to-basis. In addition to equipment,
we would use this training to introduce service standards and customer relations
policy through simulation-based events. Training evaluation would occur on
several levels, to include academic testing and performance evaluation on the
simulation events. In this area, performance support materials would consist of
basic order taking scripts, frequently asked questions database, and
complaint/escalation procedures.
Product Training: The current approach to training is ineffective for the vast
majority of employees. We will design, develop and implement a hands-on/tour-
based review of existing product. In addition to staging new seasonal merchandise
in an area for employees to examine, we would recommend soliciting their inputs
for catalog information – what do they like best, what features attract them to the
product. They might also be canvasses for input on pricing strategy during this
period. Outside of formal training sessions during product release, this same area
would be used to familiarize new employees with the entire product line, and could
be available as “petting zoo” for employees to revisit to enhance product
knowledge during breaks or other downtime. We would also consider weekly
product knowledge challenges for teams of employees to compete for internal
shopping credit, small monetary gifts, or similar types of award. Performance
support materials would be incorporated into an online database to allow the
employee to answer frequently asked questions about specific product items
without having to flip through loose piles of paperwork. This would expedite their
work and professionalize the customer experience.
Follow-on -- Supervisor/Manager Training: Finally, we would recommend follow-
on training for supervisors and managers. As the company grows, by necessity so
will its leadership and supervisory staff. It will become increasingly important for
the firm to norm supervisor/employee relations and to ensure all supervisory
personnel understand and apply human resources guidance and corporate policy in
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a uniform manner. These training sessions could be recurring in nature, and could
also introduce some fundamental leadership, management, and performance
feedback/counselling techniques. One feature we would include would be call
review, where real, taped conversations could be played for group critique to
emphasize themes, articulate trends, or address specific learning objectives.
Additionally, our training process would feature a mentor/protégé relationship
between experienced operators and newer hires. This would give new hires a near-
peer to interact with for questions, alleviate some manger workload, and also begin
to define a progression for employees considering long-term employment with PJ
Enterprises.
Lastly, we have experience developing and fielding low-cost online training
solutions. If implemented, a properly managed learning management system can
enhance communication, standardize training, and allow employees remote access
to training materials.
Evaluation Plan
The Training By Design Team endorses a Five Level Training Evaluation Plan.
We develop our evaluation plan before we begin training development; this
calibrates objectives and ensures that any training we develop will deploy and
achieve desired effects. It allows us to spot problems immediately and make on-
the-fly corrections. Finally, our process recognizes that training evaluation is an
additional investment for our clients, so we apply these resources prudently. Some
tasks can be evaluated with simple academic knowledge checks. Others require
more in depth observation to accurately gauge training efficacy. We propose the
following evaluation strategy for our training program:
Level 1: Student Reaction At this level of evaluation, we seek to ensure the students are responding favorably to the training, and that the training environment is conducive to facilitiate learning.
- In class – instructor interim summary/Q&A session
- “Third party” sensing sessions – training director, training analyst, PJ internal, could be a
member of our team
- Student end-of- training critiques
Likert Scale and constructive response
Level 2: Student Learning At this level of evaluation, we check learning at the group and individual levels. In our experience, we find students and instructors prefer to operate in a game-based activity (as compared to paper tests). We provide a variety of activities that allow the instructors to assess learning, and also to provide additional content or review weak areas based on group performance.
- Classroom review activities:
- PowerPoint Games: Jeopardy/Pyramid/Clue, etc
- Formative/Summative quiz/test
- Lightweight role playing activities
Level 3: Behavior This level of evaluation occurs post training, and assesses how the trainees retain the information they’ve learned, as well as how well they
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have been able to incorporate the training into their daily on-the-job routines. Notice the natural linkage that will exist between Program A – Telephone Operator Training and Program B – Product Training. This linkage will offer some rudimentary evidence to support Level 3 evaluation in the training environment.
- Observation in the work center
- Post-training supervisor interviews (how are they different, what’s better, what can be
improved)
- QA/TO call recordings
Level 4: Results – Return on Expectations Return on expectations is measured at this level of evaluation. Training By Design will return to the PJ Enterprises site approximately six months following the completion of the pilot program and train the trainer activities to help assess the efficacy of training at this level.
- Customer Feedback positive / negative
- Trendline year over year
- Retention/employee satisfaction (retention is a bottom line issue, the hiring process is
expensive)
- Management Interviews
Level 5: Return on Investment Finally, return on investment is the highest level of evaluation, and measures the results of training at the business level. While other factors will also contribute to this metric,key success indicators of training could include the following list. Alternately, we can consider negative results at this level an indicator of the need to make adjustments to the training programs.
- Did they meet their revenue/sales goals for the year? Are the telephone operators
completing 6 order placement calls per hour with happy customers at hang-up?
- Are there return customers because of their previous experience with PJ telephone
operators?
- Cost of training / year over year revenue metric
Request for Proposal
The Training By Design Team would like to take this opportunity to thank PJ
Enterprises for the opportunity to visit their operations. We appreciate the extra
effort by leadership, management, and employees to make our time productive.
We are excited to help your organization succeed and grow. At your request, we
will submit a written proposal to detail our plan of work. We’re eager to get to
work!
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Project Charter
November 16, 2014
Project Information
Project Name and Description: Improving Service and Sales at PJ Enterprises
Training By Design is undertaking an initiative to improve customer service and sales
at PJ Enterprises. We seek to optimize performance by establishing durable, formal
training programs to support onboarding, call center training, and product knowledge
for sales staff and telephone operators. Our team delivers blended training programs
consisting of academics, performance/demonstration/laboratory events, and hands-on
exposure to product lines. The training will be developed to consider PJ Enterprise’s
revenue and growth goals as a key success indicator.
Project Manager
Jamison Patrick is our project manager for this project. He is backed by a team of
certified learning and development professionals. As necessary, he will reach back to
Training By Design’s substantial web design, graphics arts, and interactive gaming
programmers to deliver a finished, high-end training experience.
Project Sponsor
Jane Smith will provide sponsorship and advocacy for the Training By Design team as
our key contact on the PJ Enterprises leadership team.
Project Owner
PJ Enterprises corporate leadership commissioned this effort and will retain ownership
of all materials and intellectual capital generated as a result of this charter. This
includes training materials and any evaluation or testing data. Design documents,
project charters, and other administrative documents are the shared property of PJ
Enterprises and Training By Design. All materials, discussions, and results of this
effort should be considered confidential and proprietary between both parties. Within
the PJ Enterprises leadership team, Mr. Mike Merrill has been formally designated as
the project owner. All day-to-day interaction with the Training By Design team, to
include milestones and signoffs is delegated to the project sponsor.
Stakeholders and Impact
In addition to the Project Manager and the Project Owner, Training By Design will
rely heavily on stakeholders at all levels for subject matter expertise and input at key
points in the delivery process. These stakeholders include:
Employees: Telephone Operators – Arguably, the Telephone Operators
will have some of the most relevant input to the design and content of the
training. Also, they stand to feel the most direct impact of the training
through better performance, clearer standards and expectations, and an
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enhanced work environment. Telephone Operators are responsible for
participating in alpha and beta testing of training materials, and are
responsible for providing feedback to the training design team. PJ
Enterprises has formally designated Sarah Commons, Maria Gomez, Paula
Moore, and Rosalinda Sanchez as subject matter experts and key
contributors for development, pilot, and delivery of the telephone operator
portion of the training program.
Ray Johnson: With the departure of Judie Thompson, Ray Johnson has
emerged as an additional resource. Ray has substantial knowledge of day-
to-day operations, Ray will provide broad subject matter expertise, and
identify key staff for interviews and assistance to the training design team.
Sheena Perez/Sarah Commons/Maria Gomez: Sheena is dual hatted as the
Merchandising Manager and Catalog Director as Judie transitions to her
new role. While she is extremely busy, she has invaluable product
knowledge and will have key inputs to the design of the product
knowledge component of our training program. Sheena will provide
oversight to the design team, and has identified Sarah Commons and Maria
Gomez as her leads for subject matter expertise on product information, as
well as call center operations.
Customer Service Supervisors (Sarah Commons/Maria Gomez): As
discussed above, these individuals will represent the Customer Service
Supervisors for this effort. The Customer Service Supervisors are
operations at PJ Enterprises. They know what’s working, and they know
the pitfalls they encounter on a daily basis in the call center. They have
much to gain through clear performance standards, and will be
instrumental in professionalizing the customer experience for PJ
Enterprise’s patrons. Call Service Supervisors will provide critical
training feedback from their perspective of daily operations managers.
Training By Design Team: At Training By Design, we consider
ourselves as mission partners with our clients – your success is our
success. Our industry relies on referrals from past projects as evidence of
our qualifications. We won’t quit until we get it right.
Version Date
Version Date Comments
1 11/13/2014 Initial document
2 11/15/2014
(am)
Changes Incorporated, Format, Edits
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Description of Work
Project Purpose
The purpose of this project is to increase sales and revenue of PJ Enterprises. Additionally,
the training should result in improved customer service and bolster employee retention.
Business Objectives
There are three main business objectives associated with this initiative:
Increase employee retention
Improve customer service scores by 10%
Sustain or increase profits by 100% (year over year)
Project Deliverables
Training By Design will deliver three unique training programs under this effort:
#1) Deliverable 1: New Hire Orientation/Training for Telephone Operators
(Program A)
This training will emphasize equipment, service standards, and policies on service
relations. Training will be delivered and evaluated in two ways: computer modules
and simulated events. Performance support materials will consist of basic order-taking
scripts, a frequently asked questions database, and complaint/escalation procedures.
Each computer module will have a seat time of 10-15 minutes. New hires will be
expected to complete the module assessments with a minimum score of 80%.
Computer modules will include:
Answering the phone and beginning conversations with customers
Entering an order into the order management system
Answering product questions
Answering shipping questions
Answering return policy questions
Selling additional products
Completing the call and ending conversations with customers
The simulated event will consist of three calls and an oral formative assessment, per
new hire. Seat time total will be 45 minutes per new hire. According to current
staffing plans at PJ Enterprises, Sarah Commons or Maria Gomez will conduct
simulated calls with new hires. New hires will receive feedback on an initial
simulation-based formative event prior to summative evaluation in the same format.
Simulated event topics:
Paraphrasing customer concerns
Maintaining composure
Demonstrating patience
Applying computer module training skills
#2) Deliverable 2: Product Training (Program B)
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Product Training will include a hands-on, tour-based review of existing products.
Training will be delivered using a show-and-tell method, allowing time for employee
questions. New seasonal merchandise will also be staged in an area for employees to
examine.
The show-and-tell method of training will have a seat time of 60 minutes per session
and will be done with groups of shift workers. Each session will cover 5 products.
The intent is that over the course of one week, employees will have hands-on exposure
to each product. The final training session will have time set aside for a game-based
review challenge. The challenge will be a game-show-like PowerPoint deck. This will
ensure ease of updates after the initial training project is complete, and will facilitate
the instructor’s ability to assess student learning. The training session will also be
taped and made available online.
The classroom (display room) will have products available for employee review
between training sessions and after training concludes. As part of this plan,
PJ Enterprises will need to commit sustainment funds to set up the room and maintain
the displays.
The final component of this deliverable will be the product guide and content for the
online support system currently being fielded by PJ Enterprises. The design of the
product guide will describe features and benefits of each product, list answers to
frequently asked questions, and also cross-reference additional merchandise that may
also hold interest for consumers. This will enable telephone operators to make quick
recommendations and maximize sales to already-willing customers. The product guide
will be modular in nature to allow for ease of update when merchandise is deleted,
added, or for seasonal changes in inventory. These changes will highlight to each
operator in a news panel at each system login.
#3) Deliverable 3: Supervisor/Manager Training (Program C)
Supervisor/Manager Training will emphasize human resource guidelines and policies.
A key point of emphasis will be enacting policy in a uniform manner. One training
session will be held bi-annually with all supervisors and managers in one session. Seat
time will be 90 minutes per session. The Director of Human Resources will conduct
this training.
Training topics include:
Human Resource guidelines
Human Resource policies
Employee Handbook review
Work In Scope
All analysis, planning, preparatory, and development work associated with this project
is considered in scope. The work in scope includes New Hire Orientation/Training for
Telephone Operators, Product Training, and Supervisor/Manager Training along with
training materials and modules. Training materials include a PowerPoint for each
training session, accompanying activities as appendices in the Facilitators’ Guide,
Facilitators’ Guide for entire program, and Assessments as PowerPoints and
Worksheets. The scope of work also includes a training evaluation plan and a follow-
up visit by Training By Design approximately six months after the initial rollout of the
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training program. Acceptance of this charter becomes the statement of work that
Training By Design will adhere to. Signatures on this charter will complete the
planning phase of this project.
Out of Scope
Training By Design will not complete additional work not included in this charter. If
additional work is deemed necessary, a new project charter will need to be designed,
agreed upon, and signed by all parties involved. Training By Design does not conduct
training. The sole exception to this provision is for pilot testing of course materials
with your internal training staff and initial train the trainer sessions with functional
leads. Additional Training services are available outside of this charter and can be
negotiated separately. Unless clearly identified in this project charter, Training By
Design does not provide staff augmentation or other human resources support.
Project Completion Criteria
This project will be completed when all training materials are delivered to PJ
Enterprises. PJ Enterprises will schedule follow-up and formal results-level evaluation
approximately six months after the initial delivery of the final training materials.
Project Parameters
Project Team Members & Roles
The table below presents roles and responsibilities for each project participant. Formal
introductions will be part of our kick-off events.
Name
Role
Responsibilities
Est. Time (in hours)
Jamison Patrick
Project Manager
Project Completion
520
Sophia Burris
Project Coordinator
Coordinate Team
1240
Ingrid Sutherland
Instructional Designer
Instructional Design
520
Dave Matthews
Technical Writer
Edit Documents
520
Michele Williams
Business Analyst
Research
520
Sheena Perez
PJ Enterprises SME
Content Expert and
Reviewer
100
Ray Johnson PJ Enterprises SME Merchandising 200
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Expert, Subject
Matter Expert for all
Training Design and
Development,
Sheena’s Stand-in
Sarah Commons PJ Enterprises SME Company Trainer,
Customer Service
Expert, Content
Expert, Feedback,
Analysis and Review
of All Training
100
Maria Gomez PJ Enterprises SME Company Trainer,
Customer Service
Expert, Content
Expert, Feedback,
Analysis and Review
of All Training
100
Paula Moore PJ Enterprises SME Telephone Operator
Expert, Analysis and
Review of Training
related to TOs
100
Rosalinda Sanchez PJ Enterprises SME Telephone Operator
Expert, Analysis and
Review of Training
related to TOs, New
Employee Perspective
100
Company IT
PJ Enterprises
Technology
520
* If anyone listed in this chart is transferred or cannot perform their duties, the responsible company will be
responsible for replacing them immediately
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Project Milestones
The table below outlines key milestones and task leads for this project.
Milestone
Date
Charter completion –
Jamison Patrick
12/1/14
Project plan completion –
Jamison Patrick and David Matthews
12/8/14
Instructional materials completion –
David Matthews
1/9/15
Training Needs Assessments 11/21/14
Initial Design Documents: 12/5/14
Product Guide 12/26/14
Facilitator Guide Review 2/3/15
Training commencement – Alpha and Pilot Programs
Sophia Burris
2/18/15
Training completion (initial) – Pilot Programs
Sophia Burris
3/3/15
Six month assessment –
Sophia Burris
9/14/15
Vendor Assistance Required
Training by Design does not plan to use the assistance of an outside vendor at this
time.
Budget
The table below outlines projected budget. Formal accounting will be provided at
the completion of each milestone as well as a composite report at the conclusion of
the project.
Deliverable/Solution
Total Work Estimated
Cost
Project Charter 40 hours @ $80 per hour $3,200
Project Plan 40 hours @ $80 per hour $3,200
Design Documents 40 hours @ $80 per hour as below: Program A: TOO Training 25 hours @ $80 per hour $2000
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Program B: Product Fam 7 hours @ $80 per hour $560 Program C: Management 8 hours @ $80 per hour $640
Scripts 70 hours @ $80 per hour as below: Program A 35 hours @ $80 per hour $2800 Program B 25 hours @ $80 per hour $2000 Program C 10 hours @ $80 per hour $800
Beta Version Delivery 70 hours @ $80 per hour Program A 24 hours @ $80 per hour $1920 Program B 23 hours @ $80 per hour $1840 Program C 23 hours @$80 per hour $1840
Final Training Delivery 70 hours @ $80 per hour $5,600
Status Reporting 40 hours @ $80 per hour $3,200
6-month Follow-up eval N/C
Total $29,600
Possible Problems
While we feel our experience provides substantial risk mitigation, problems may
arise during the course of any training development project. Based on past
experience, the table below identifies most common problem areas, likelihood, and
the corrective strategy we intend to employ to return to established timelines. We
have used these strategies in the past with proven results.
Problem Area Likelihood
1 – 5 scale
Problem
Owner
Project Impact and Mitigation Plan
Tech problems and
content delivery
3 Sophia
Burris
Development may take longer than expected
depending on training content provided to Training
By Design and inevitable tech problems. Mitigation
plan includes padding in the timeline for possible
tech problems and coordination of content for
training. Also, the tech budget includes tech
maintenance and security protection.
Work Schedules and
Life
4 Jamison
Patrick and
Sophia Burris
Work hours may delay collaboration between PJ
and Training By Design. Mitigation plan includes a
padded timeline allowing for canceled meetings or
delayed deadlines for design, development, and
delivery due to PJ increased work load or life
elements outside of both teams’ controls. Also, a
detailed calendar will be provided at each status
meeting and weekly deadlines will be agreed upon.
Communications 3 Sophia Burris Communications can be incomplete or incorrect
causing for misunderstanding of content, design, or
other elements in the training. Mitigation plan
includes a detailed communication plan regarding
email, phone, and meeting protocols.
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Problem Area Likelihood
1 – 5 scale
Problem
Owner
Project Impact and Mitigation Plan
Employee Turnover or
Promotion
3 Jamison
Patrick and
Jane Smith
Employee turnover or promotion may happen
within our given team. Mitigation plan includes a
team member replacement requirement by both PJ
Enterprises and Training By Design. Outlined in
this requirement is that the roles that are currently
filled shall always be filled by a capable and
willing worker, prepped for collaboration by
project team members from the respective
employer immediately upon former team member
termination of project responsibilities.
Working Conditions 2 Sarah
Commons
and Maria
Gomez
Working conditions for PJ Enterprises’ employees
may impact worker performance for training testing
and evaluation. Mitigation plan includes efforts
from shift supervisors to ensure employees are
happy and comfortable. Complaints about
environment should be addressed within 1 week.
Any feedback received will be sanitized of
personally identifiable information and presented to
PJ Enterprises leadership in a consolidated report.
Assumptions
Training By Design assumes that the following will remain true:
PJ Enterprise employees are using the current call system with the printed
product guide until PJ communicates otherwise.
A training room is provided with an LCD projector to carry out trainings.
PJ Telephone Operators will continue to complete customer service surveys
upon order completion with customers.
Supervisors will keep measuring Telephone Operator performance as currently
outlined.
High employee turnover and customer dissatisfaction will remain until the new
training is implemented and all employees are trained.
PJ Enterprises will provide the Training By Design developers a secure,
on-site project team room for the duration of this effort. The room
should be equipped with internet access and adequate workspaces for up
to six at a time.
Training By Design assumes that PJ Enterprises is responsible for:
Communicating organizational improvements and obstacles to Training By
Design.
Maintaining team members to fill roles outlined in Kick-off Meeting of
project.
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Providing Training By Design with training content and subject matter.
Meeting calendar deadlines related to training content, decisions, sign-offs,
reviewing, approvals, and other requests related to PJ Enterprises.
Working with project manager and coordinator to create schedule and
deadlines throughout project’s active phases.
Implementing, facilitating, and delivering training at PJ Enterprises.
Producing consumable course materials for training sessions (after initial pilot)
Completing training prep, delivery, and clean-up.
Obtaining evaluation data from training delivery interfaces and participants.
Training By Design assumes responsibility for:
Supervising budget and project schedule.
Tracking time and labor spent on all tasks.
Designing, developing, and completing outlined deliverables.
Delivering status reports delivered to PJ Enterprises team members.
Adhering to deadlines and calendar for project.
Preparing status meeting agendas and GoToMeeting online rooms.
Maintaining team members to fill roles outlined in Kick-off Meeting of
project.
Constraints
PJ Enterprises and Training By Design agree to the following constraints:
Quality (Scope): Training By Design agrees to provide a New Hire
Orientation/Training for Telephone operators, Supervisor/Manager training,
and Product Training framework.
Cost: All deliverables will be provided to PJ Enterprises within the budget of
$29,600. Overflow costs are to be approved by PJ Enterprises in writing prior
to any further work by Training By Design. Exceptions to this include
mistakes by the Training By Design team.
Schedule: All deliverables will be provided to PJ Enterprises by November 10,
2014, with follow-up assessment completed and report returned to PJ by May
31, 2015.
SME Availability: Project success is highly dependent on timely access
to subject matter expertise for each of the three training programs we
will develop. We understand that operational tempo at certain times
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may limit our access to key individuals and will flex to non-standard
work schedules to the greatest extent possible. We will work with your
project sponsor, as articulated in our communications plan, to identify
any problems in this area well in advance of adverse impact to project
timeline. Student Availability: We are proposing an aggressive rollout schedule.
This can be adjusted based on student availability for the pilot program,
however delays due to student unavailability will impact delivery
timeline.
Stakeholder Satisfaction
The hallmark of Training By Design’s success in this industry is our client’s
satisfaction. Our business grows through your referrals. Our benchmarks of
stakeholder satisfaction are listed below:
TOs: Upon completion of training, Telephone Operators and Supervisors will
be satisfied and report feeling prepared to perform job responsibilities.
PJ Project Team Members: Upon completion of training, members working
on this project will feel the program provided by Training By Design contains
all required materials to deliver training to employees.
PJ Management and Leadership: Upon completion of training program, PJ
Enterprises’ management and leadership will consider the training program to
meet expectations and provide potential company growth.
Quality of Delivery
PJ Enterprises will experience minimal glitches and implementation issues due to
Training By Design’s provided user manuals, training manuals, and descriptions.
Benefits
PJ Enterprises recognizes that the training program is only a part of the overall
plan to increase profit. Potential benefits of the training program include increased
customer satisfaction and employee retention.
External Dependencies
PJ Enterprises and Training By Design recognize the following external dependencies
that could impact planned delivery:
New call equipment installation
Market shifts or emerging requirements
Approvals
By signing below you are agreeing to the charter presented including the scope of
work, constraints, and responsibilities. In addition, you are agreeing to work towards
the overall success of this project through completion.
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Role Signature Date
Training By Design
Project Manager
Jamison Patrick
__________________________________
_
_____________________
PJ Enterprises Project
Sponsor
Jane Smith
__________________________________
_
_____________________
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Project Plan
November 23, 2014
Project Information
Training By Design will deliver product training for telephone operators and other
customer service personnel. The training will consist of hands-on exposure to
products, guided discussion facilitated by a structured Power Point outline, and a
PowerPoint-based “game show style” review exercise to evaluate student learning
and training effectiveness. Training By Design will deliver a complete facilitator
guide detailing set up, suggested ice breaker activities, and nominal timeline for
each discussion/demonstration item. The guide will recommend key transition
points for recommended interim reviews. It will also feature answers to anticipated
questions as well as links to performance support/product guide materials.
Project Name
For the purpose of clarity, the Training By Design Team and PJ Enterprises Staff
will refer to this training program as “Program B – Product Training” in all
correspondence, conversation, and deliverable materials.
Version Control
Version Date Comments
Initial Draft 11/20/2014 Initial document
Team Edits 11/20/2014 Team Edits
Added Comm Plan and
links to proposed
schedule
11/22/2014
Changed Milestone
Dates
11/22/14 Sophia Burris
Project Description/Overview
Training By Design is undertaking an initiative to improve customer service and
sales at PJ Enterprises. This component of training (Program B – Product
Knowledge) will empower telephone operators and customer service staff with
information to answer questions and better market merchandise to
interested/engaged customers. We seek to optimize performance by establishing
durable, formal training programs to support product knowledge for sales staff and
telephone operators. Our team delivers blended training programs consisting of
academics, performance/demonstration/laboratory events, and hands-on exposure
to product lines. The training will be developed to consider PJ Enterprise’s revenue
and growth goals as a key success indicator.
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Project Purpose and Justification
The purpose of this project is to increase sales and revenue of PJ Enterprises.
Additionally, the training should result in improved customer service and bolster
employee retention.
Business Objectives
There are three main business objectives associated with this initiative:
Increase employee retention (job satisfaction)
Improve customer service scores by 10% (product knowledge)
Sustain or increase profits by 100% (year over year)
Scope Statement
Deliverables Included
All analysis, planning, preparatory, and development work associated with this
project is considered in scope. The work in scope is Product Training for
Telephone Operators and Customer Service Personnel (aka Program B – Product
Training). The scope of work also includes a training evaluation plan and a
follow-up visit by Training By Design approximately six months after the initial
rollout of the training program. We will also develop performance support
materials in the form of a product guide that will provide content when PJ
Enterprises migrates to its online support system. Charter signatories (Jamison
Patrick and Jane Smith) will indicate approval of milestones achieved and signal
authorization for the continuance of work.
Exclusions
Training By Design will not complete additional work not identified in the
“Deliverables Included” paragraph. Additional work will require a new project
charter to be signed by all parties involved. Training By Design does not conduct
training. The sole exception to this provision is for pilot testing of course materials
with your internal training staff and initial train the trainer sessions with functional
leads. Additional training services are available outside of this charter and can be
negotiated separately. Unless clearly identified in this project charter, Training By
Design does not provide staff augmentation or other human resources support.
Project Completion Criteria
This project will be completed when all trainings and training materials are
delivered to PJ Enterprises. Training By Design will work with PJ Enterprises to
identify timing and schedule follow-up and formal results-level evaluation
approximately six months after the initial delivery of the final training materials.
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External Dependencies
PJ Enterprises and Training By Design recognize the following external
dependencies that could impact planned delivery:
New call equipment installation could impact employee availability
Market shifts or emerging requirements
Availability of merchandise for hands-on portions of training
Access to computer systems or a simulated environment may be a
consideration for this training
Assumptions
Training By Design assumes that the following will remain true:
A training room is provided with an LCD projector to carry out trainings.
PJ Telephone Operators will continue to complete customer service surveys
upon order completion with customers.
Supervisors will keep measuring Telephone Operator performance as currently
outlined.
High employee turnover and customer dissatisfaction will remain until the new
training is implemented and all employees are trained.
PJ Enterprises will provide the Training By Design developers a secure, on-
site project team room for the duration of this effort. The room should be
equipped with internet access and adequate workspaces for up to six at a time.
Training By Design assumes that PJ Enterprises is responsible for:
Communicating organizational improvements and obstacles to Training By
Design.
Maintaining team members to fill roles outlined in Kick-off Meeting of
project.
Providing Training By Design with training content and subject matter.
Meeting calendar deadlines related to training content, decisions, sign-offs,
reviews, approvals, and other requests related to PJ Enterprises.
Working with project manager and coordinator to create schedule and
deadlines throughout project’s active phases.
Implementing, facilitating, and delivering training at PJ Enterprises.
Reproducing hard-copy course materials for training sessions after initial
delivery.
Completing training prep, delivery, and clean-up.
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Obtaining evaluation data from training delivery interfaces and participants.
Training By Design assumes responsibility for:
Supervising budget and project schedule.
Tracking time and labor spent on all tasks.
Designing, developing, and completing outlined deliverables.
Delivering status reports delivered to PJ Enterprises team members.
Adhering to deadlines and calendar for project.
Preparing status meeting agendas and GoToMeeting online rooms.
Maintaining team members to fill roles outlined in Kick-off Meeting of
project.
Project Plans
Constraints
PJ Enterprises and Training By Design agree to the following constraints:
Quality (Scope): Training By Design agrees to provide Product Training:
framework: content, assessment, training evaluation plan, initial pilot and train
the trainer services.
Cost: All deliverables will be provided to PJ Enterprises within the budget of
$9,500 for Program B – Product Training as itemized in the project charter.
Overflow costs are to be approved by PJ Enterprises in writing prior to any
further work by Training By Design. Exceptions to this include mistakes by
the Training By Design team. Training By Design uses an early warning
budgeting system that will flag potential cost overruns in time for stakeholders
to revise scope, quality, timeline, or budget factos.
Schedule: All deliverables will be provided to PJ Enterprises by February 15,
2015, with follow-up assessment completed and report returned to PJ by June
15, 2015.
SME Availability: Project success is highly dependent on timely access to
subject matter expertise for each of the three training programs we will
develop. We understand that operational tempo at certain times may limit our
access to key individuals and will flex to non-standard work schedules to the
greatest extent possible. We will work with your project sponsor, as
articulated in our communications plan, to identify any problems in this area
well in advance of adverse impact to project timeline.
Telephone Operator and Customer Service Representative (Student)
Availability: We are proposing an aggressive rollout schedule. This can be
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adjusted based on student availability for the pilot program, however delays
due to student unavailability will impact delivery timeline.
Milestones
The following table outlines milestones associated with Program B – Product
Training:
Milestone or Activity Course/Deliverable Target
Date
Needs Analysis - 11/14/
14
Product Review/Research
Activities
Associated Content
for Program B –
Product Training
11/26/
14
Finish Product Guide for TOs Comprehensive
Product guide and
shell for future
additions of new
products
12/26/
14
Scripts and Support Materials Program B Support
Materials
1/9/15
Facilitator Guide Facilitator Guide for
Program B
2/3/15
Alpha Testing/Pilot Program Pilot Course/Train
the Trainer Sessions
for Program B
3/3/15
Final Training Delivery All course materials,
supporting
documentation,
product guide, and
final course report
for Program B
3/2/15
-
3/3/15
6-month follow-up evaluation Evaluation Report
for Program B
9/14/1
5-
9/28/1
5
Project Approach
We will manage this project in five distinct phases. The first, PLAN, is coming to a
close. We will officially transition to the PREPARE phase of this project when this
project plan is ratified by Training By Design Project Manager and the PJ Enterprises
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Project Sponsor. The PREPARE phase consists of enabling research, material
collection, and final training delivery decisions. Moving to SET UP, we will compile
courseware materials, facilitator guides and other supporting learning aids in to a near-
finish quality. This phase will also produce the rough draft of the product guide and
content for the online performance support system. For the purposes of this project the
CONDUCT phase begins with the BETA Delivery and course pilot, and concludes
with train the trainer activities. Lastly, ANALYZE RESULTS will begin concurrently
with the pilot to capture student reaction and learning. ANALYZE results will
conclude approximately six months after delivery, when our team will return to
conduct results-level evaluation (return on investment/return on expectations) of
training impact. These phases form the basis for our work breakdown structure.
Primary Plans
This is a rapid development project. Training by Design requires maximum
flexibility but will operate within the constraints defined in this document.
Scheduled Meetings
In addition to formal meetings between Training By Design Staff and the Project
sponsor at each milestone or sign off point, we will check in informally with Jane
Smith each Monday morning for leadership vectors, and provide ongoing status
reporting via a weekly activity report each Friday afternoon at close of business.
Additional meetings may be scheduled at client request, or as required to facilitate
project completion.
Scheduled Status Reports
As stated, we will offer weekly progress / status reporting NLT than Friday
afternoon at the close of business. Status reporting will be suspended at the
conclusion of the pilot/train the trainer (CONDUCT) phase, and resume when the
team returns for the EVALUATE phase of the project.
WBS Diagram and Schedule
The WBS and schedule are provided below. This product is depicted below and
is provided as a separate attachment to this project plan.
Improving_Service_and_Sales_at_PJ_Enterprises.png
Click on the image icon above to open the file separately.
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Gantt Chart
This Gantt chart is a visual representation of our proposed work schedule linked to our work breakdown
structure. We have provided the document as a separate attachment to this project plan.
Risk Assessment
The following table outlines reasonably foreseeable risks, our perceived level of
potential impact, the likelihood of each risk, and our mitigation strategy.
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Risk Risk Level
L/M/H
Likelihood
of Event
(1 – Low, 5 –
High)
Mitigation Strategy
Technology/systems
compatibility problems
between PJ Enterprises
and Training by
Design systems
leading to content
delivery delay
M 3 Appropriate
timeline creation
and resources
allocated to include
tech maintenance
and security
protection.
Work/shift schedules
may make key
personnel unavailable
during critical phases
of development
M 4 Appropriate
timeline to allow
for cancelled
meetings or
delayed deadlines.
A detailed calendar
will be provided at
each status meeting
and weekly
deadlines will be
agreed upon.
Communications
protocols as Training
By Design integrates
with PJ Enterprises
organization.
M 3 Detailed
communication
plans regarding
email, phone, and
meeting protocols.
Employee turnover or
promotion
M 3 Employee
replacement
agreement between
PJ Enterprises and
Training By
Design.
Training delays due to
the holidays
H 5 Holiday schedule
addressed during
initial timeline
development; “fire
brigade/reachback
capability to
Training By Design
internal resources.
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Risk Risk Level
L/M/H
Likelihood
of Event
(1 – Low, 5 –
High)
Mitigation Strategy
Gremlins L 1 We are confident
on our risk
assessment for this
project, however, if
unanticipated risks
emerge, we will
consult
immediately with
the project sponsor
and PJ Enterprises
staff according to
the
communications
plan outlined in this
document to
develop mitigation
strategy. We will
employ “fire
brigade” resolution
commensurate with
the level of
potential impact
Change Management Plan
Purpose
The purpose of our change management plan is to develop a procedure that ensures
scope changes are controlled and documented. As part of this procedure, a
communication plan is developed to make sure stakeholders are up-to-date on
scope changes.
Goals
The goals of our change management process are:
Develop a procedure that documents scope changes
Make sure all stakeholders are informed of scope changes
Training By Design’s change procedure is:
1. Record the requested change, who it is coming from, and when it was
requested.
2. Determine if the requestor is authorized to request changes.
3. Verify if the change is feasible.
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4. Project Manager prioritizes the request against all other current work.
5. Determine what impacts the change would have on work scope, cost, and
schedule.
6. Propose change to PJ Enterprises including the impact on costs and schedules.
If PJ Enterprises accepts the proposed change:
a. Assign change request to appropriate team member
b. Update contract
c. Update work breakdown structure
d. Update budget
e. Update Gantt chart
f. Inform all stakeholders of the change
g. Maintain documentation of any changes
Responsibilities
Person Responsible Responsibilities
Jamison Patrick,
Project Manager
- Review and prioritize incoming change requests
- Assign work to address the change
- Communicate with stakeholders
Sophia Burris,
Project Coordinator
Determine scope impacts
Michele Williams,
Instructional Designer
Determine Content/Structural Changes
Dave Matthews,
Technical Writer
Update project documents
Communication Plan
Communication Objectives
Project success depends on effective communication across all levels and with all
stakeholders. The objectives of the communications plan we offer are to:
Promote and explain the purpose of training to stakeholders.
Build stakeholder confidence in training program.
Facilitate dialogue among all stakeholders.
Encourage stakeholder questions, comments, and concerns.
Disseminate correct, timely information to stakeholders about project and
statuses of project components.
Broadcast consistent messages to stakeholders.
Inform team members regularly.
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Communication Principles
The Training By Design team emphasizes the following principles of effective
communication:
Clear, honest exchanges, using the PJ Enterprises’ values as a guide.
Consistent messages between participates and stakeholders.
Shared information between participants and stakeholders, regarding all
questions, comments, and concerns.
Recommended “shared” ownership of the project as a whole.
Constant civility for all involved.
Acknowledgement of stakeholder time limits.
Change Implications
To understand the implications of this project, we consider the following points in
the context of change:
How will using the new method(s) differ from what employees are used to
doing?
o Customer calls will be monitored and evaluated more frequently.
o “Best Practices” will be established to boost Telephone Operator
responsibility.
What practices have to change?
o Telephone Operators must switch between calls more quickly.
o Payment and adapted scheduling should be implemented for all staff
meetings and trainings.
What behaviors will have to change?
o Customer Service Supervisors must communicate more effectively with
the telephone operators for purposes of providing quality feedback.
o Telephone Operators will need to follow new practices that have been
newly realized.
What expectations will have to change?
o Telephone Operators must increase their product knowledge and improve
their telephone etiquette skills to lessen call time lengths and reduce
customer complaints.
Target Audiences and Key Messages
This table outlines key messages and themes to assist with communications and
change management during this period.
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Audience Key Messages
Telephone Operators Communication is needed for the
stakeholders and the project team members
– why their participation is critical, and the
intended outcomes/improvements to follow
from this initiative.
A training course will be developed by the
Instructional Design Team and Subject
Matter Experts to be delivered by PJ
Enterprise employees.
Training will provide improved customer
service (inquires/orders) and reduce
customer wait times and number of calls
transferred to Customer Service
Supervisors.
Telephone Operators will benefit from a
more professional work environment.
Product knowledge and customer service
skills will empower employees to do their
job.
Training activities will begin in early
February.
Customer Service
Supervisors
A training course will be developed by the
Instructional Design Team and Subject
Matter Experts to be delivered by PJ
Enterprise employees.
Training will provide improved customer
service (inquires/orders) and reduce
customer wait times and number of calls
transferred to Customer Service
Supervisors.
The training will enhance the quality of
customer service and improve the etiquette
of telephone operators.
Customer Service Supervisors will
experience fewer customer complaints and
call escalations
The Training by Design team will assist PJ
Enterprises with the recalibration of
Telephone Operator knowledge and skills..
Training activities will begin in early
February.
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Audience Key Messages
Management/Administration Training will provide improved customer
service (inquires/orders) and reduce
customer wait times and transfers to
Customer Service Supervisors.
Training activities will begin in early
February.
Challenges and Opportunities
This table outlines potential challenges for the project team:
Audience Challenge Message to address
challenge
Method or
Channel
Responsible Date
Telephone
Operators
Varying schedules Project Plan &
Overview
Informal
Meetings
Project
Manager
1
1
11/3/1
4
Customer
Service
Supervisors
Lack of
communication
with Telephone
Operators
Project Plan &
Overview
Informal
Meetings
Project
Manager
1
4
11/3/1
4
Management/
Administratio
n
Promotion of new
procedures
Project Plan &
Overview
Kickoff
Meeting
Project
Manager
11/3/1
4
We see the following opportunities for this project:
A redesigned product guide that is more user-friendly.
Established guidelines for more appropriate telephone etiquette.
Professionalized environment for PJ Enterprises employees
Our business is based on your success. We seek ongoing business
relationships and rely on your referrals – we recognize that we can only
succeed if our clients succeed.
Project Plan Approvals
Approvals
Approved by:
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Name Role Signature Date
Jamison Patrick Project
Manager
Jane Smith Project Sponsor
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Design Document for
Program B – Product Training
Training By Design Document
Description
This design document is presented to PJ Enterprises in order to
provide documentation of the design plans for Program B – Product
Training.
Purpose of
the Course
Program B – Product Training is designed to provide product
training for telephone operators and other customer service
personnel. The goal of this product training is to empower
telephone operators and customer service personnel with
information to answer questions and to better market merchandise
to interested customers.
The gained product knowledge will give telephone operators and
customer service personnel a solid product knowledge foundation
for selling and completing telephone orders at PJ Enterprises. This
increase in knowledge will help increase sales and revenue, improve
customer service, and bolster employee retention.
Audience
Description
The audience for product training includes telephone operators and
customer service personnel with many different backgrounds,
mostly unknown. Experience levels may be highly variable, from
new employees to more seasoned. These employees are the labor of
the catalog sales by fulfilling orders via the order entry system
while taking orders from customers on the phone. They get paid
industry standards, which could be slightly above minimum wage.
It has been mentioned that these employees may learn best by
hearing instead of reading. The telephone operators are ready to
learn more about catalog products in order to improve their
individual customer service ratings and call completion rates.
Andragogy will be considered when designing this training to
ensure that the training is focused on the process as opposed to the
content of the training. Training By Design will specifically follow
Malcolm Knowles assumptions that 1) adults need to know why
they need to learns something, 2) adults need to learn experientially,
3) adults approach learning as problem-solving, and 4) adults learn
best when the topic is of immediate value.
The job tasks the operators must complete are answering phones,
completing orders, addressing angry customers appropriately, and
identifying product details.
All employees are assumed to have a desire to increase their
understanding of the products sold at PJ Enterprises and to increase
their skills in serving customers.
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Major
Course
Objectives
After completing the course in product training, the learner will be
able to:
Identify product information resources and compare the
content/purpose of each.
Using resources such as the online performance support
system and product guide, answer product questions in a
conversational manner
Cohesively answer questions about products to aid in
completing phone orders given brief customer requests or
product needs.
Using standards of performance published in PJ
Enterprise’s telephone operator performance policies,
determine when it is appropriate to solicit the help of a
customer service supervisor (in the specific context of
answering product knowledge questions).
Learning
Assessment
for Course
No formal assessment will be required.
Informal assessment in the form of a game-based/PowerPoint-
based-game-show activity will give telephone operators and
customer service personnel the opportunity to evaluate their
understanding of the products.
Instructional
Strategies for
Course
Methods of
Delivery
The instructional strategies to be used are learning objectives,
overviews, and procedural directions.
Delivery
Methods and
Activity
Styles
The course will be an instructor-led course, with a strong emphasis
on self-directed exploration of the PJ Enterprise’s product line.
Each session will focus on a separate category of products. Slide
presentations will only be used for emphasis of specific points of
interest and for some game-based evaluation methods. Students
will also learn through product demonstrations and discussions.
The following exploratory learning and evaluation methods will be
used at various places throughout the course:
Scavenger Hunt
Mock role playing events
Pros/cons list-making
“Speed dating” with products
Partner/Small group work
Question and answer opportunity
Examination of product via chunking (with an opportunity
to hands-on and active learning) and nutshelling
Similar immersive events
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Media The course will utilize the following media:
Instructor
Course guide
Slide presentation with products
Job Aid: Customer Service Reference Card (artifact/job aid
from Telephone Operator training. This will be used in role
play events and serve as the basis for connections between
Training Program A (Telephone Operator Training) and
Training Program B (Product Training)
Job Aid: New Product Catch Phrase Theme Card
Course
Outline
1. Training Overview including a) Course Introduction and
Overview (5 minutes) and b) Course objectives for products
2. Lesson 1- Home Goods Products
3. Lesson 2- Kids’ Toys Products
4. Session 3- Pet Products
5. Session 4- Seasonal Products
6. Session 5- Product Review (Course Review)
Each lesson follows the same outline, with the exception of
the Training Overview:
1. Training Overview
2. Product Line Introduction
3. Do Practice Activity
4. Role Play Practice Activity
5. Jeopardy Assessment based on Product Line for the
Session
6. Questions and comments
Class/Seat
Time of
Course
Seat time for the course is 5 hours and 15 minutes. Delivery is
divided into five one-hour sessions over the course of a standard
work week. The initial session will last approximately 15 minutes
longer to allow for administrative details, icebreaker, and to
establish connections to previous learning
Practices and
Application
Exercises
1. Product Exploration Activity
2. New Product Game Event
3. Customer Service Case Study Activity
Development
Tools
The course will be developed in Microsoft Word and Microsoft
PowerPoint.
Ownership Design documents are shared property of PJ Enterprises and
Training By Design.
PJ Enterprises corporate leadership commissioned this effort and
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will retain ownership of all materials and intellectual capital
generated as a result of this course. This includes training materials
and any evaluation or testing data.
Other than content, PJ Enterprises will have no proprietary or
intellectual capital rights to the training methodologies used or
devices used in this program.
Development
Time
For 5:15 hours of seat time, we expect we will need 60 hours of
development time; 10 hours/1 hour of training plus 10 hours of
extra for revisions, tech problems, and other obstacles. This will
also allow time for us to pilot the training with PJ Enterprises SMEs
and training staff.
Support
Requirements
Training By Design will provide support as well as schedule
follow-up and formal results-level evaluation approximately six
months after the initial delivery of the final training materials.
Project Sign-
Off
Please sign below indicating agreement with the proposed course
design.
By signing, approval is granted for the start-up of the development
phases.
Project Manager, Training By Design
Date
Project Sponsor
Date
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Appendix B: Detailed Course Outline
Mins.
Task / Topic / Key
Content
Objective
Method
Assessment
Visuals / Media
Support
Lesson One – Home Goods Products
15 Review of Program And Key Points
Introduction
Objectives
Given product training, the telephone operator will answer customers’ product questions with 100% accuracy.
Presentation Slides Products
10 Home Goods Product Line Introduction
Cohesively answer questions about products to aid in completing phone orders of PJ Enterprise’s Home Goods product line given brief customer requests or product needs.
presentation of facts Products Slides
20
Exploration Activity – Show Product and Tell about Details
Given a choice of new products on a table, learners will give all details of the product that are listed in the product guide in less than 1 minute by presenting to the group.
Presentation Activity: Learners will choose a product off of a table to present to the group with details and “sell” it to the group.
Products Product Guide Activity Slide
10 Call Role Play Given a call scenario, learners will role-play completing a phone order
role play – application of guidelines.
Worksheet scenario set-up, completion in
Worksheet Product Guide
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with a partner by using the product guide and customer service awareness.
partnerships
15
Learning Assessment – Jeopardy
When divided into two teams, the group can complete the jeopardy game with less than 6 missed questions.
remembrance of facts. Scenario quiz in jeopardy form completed in competition style between two teams made up of the group of learners.
Jeopardy Presentation Product Guides
5 Questions/Comments/Closing
Connect activity by learner-led discussion and product knowledge synthesis.
Session Two: Kids’ Toys Products
10 Kids’ Toys Product Introduction
Cohesively answer questions about products to aid in completing phone orders of PJ Enterprise’s Kids’ Toys product line given brief customer requests or product needs.
Presentation of facts Products Slides
20 Exploration Activity – Scavenger Hunt
Identify products that fit the customers’ requests given the product guide.
Exploration Activity: Learners will be given a worksheet to use guide them through “hunting” for products to fit sample customer requests.
Products Product Guide Worksheet
10 Connect Activity- Call Role Play
Given a call scenario, learners will role-play
Worksheet scenario set-up, completion in
Worksheet Product Guide
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completing a phone order with a partner by using the product guide and customer service awareness.
partnerships
15 Learning Assessment – Pyramid Game
Given six product categories arranged in a pyramid, two teams of learners will make associations between statements and matching products using product guide.
PowerPoint Pyramid Game Presentation
Scenario quiz in Pyramid game form completed in competition style as two teams.
Product Guide PowerPoint Pyramid Game Presentation
5 Questions/Comments/Closing
Connect activity by learner-led discussion and product knowledge synthesis.
Mins.
Task / Topic / Key
Content
Objective
Method
Assessment
Visuals / Media
Support
Session Three: Pet Products
10 Pet Products Product Introduction
Cohesively answer questions about products to aid in completing phone orders of PJ Enterprise’s Pet product line given brief customer requests or product needs.
Presentation of Facts Products Slides
20 Exploration Activity – Product Sorting Activity
Given 10 pet products, organize them by color, size, materials, and your personal interest.
Exploration Activity: Learners will be given 10 physical pet products to organize in different ways, including: color, size, materials, and personal interest.
Products Product Guide Worksheet
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10 Connect Activity- Call Role Play
Given a call scenario, learners will role-play completing a phone order with a partner by using the product guide and customer service awareness.
Worksheet scenario set-up, completion in partnerships
Worksheet Product Guide
15 Learning Assessment – Lists
Given categories and 15, learners will list 90% of products that fit into category in 20 sections.
Worksheets with lists for each category.
Scenario quiz in List game form completed in competition style as individuals.
Worksheets Timer
5 Questions/Comments/Closing
Connect activity by learner-led discussion and product knowledge synthesis.
Session Four: Seasonal Products
10 Seasonal Product Introduction
Cohesively answer questions about products to aid in completing phone orders of PJ Enterprise’s Seasonal product line given brief customer requests or product needs.
Presentation of Facts Products Slides
20 Exploration Activity – Speed Calling
Learners complete detail worksheets for products by rotating through product stations.
Exploration Activity with stations for different products and worksheets to fill out about each product.
Products Worksheets Product Guide Station Labels Directions Slide
10 Connect Activity- Call Role Play
Given a call scenario, learners will role-play
Worksheet scenario set-up, completion in
Worksheet Product Guide
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completing a phone order with a partner by using the product guide and customer service awareness.
partnerships
15 Learning Assessment – Pyramid Game
Given six product categories arranged in a pyramid, two teams of learners will make associations between statements and matching products using product guide.
PowerPoint Pyramid Game Presentation
Scenario quiz in Pyramid game form completed in competition style as two teams.
Product Guide PowerPoint Pyramid Game Presentation
5 Questions/Comments/Closing
Connect activity by learner-led discussion and product knowledge synthesis.
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Mins.
Task / Topic / Key Content
Objective
Method
Assessment
Visuals / Media
Support
Session Five: Product Review
60 This review session will connect the product learning to the training in Program A – Telephone Operator Training. Students will be placed in a customer call situation and asked to describe/recommend products. They will also be faced with situations that may require escalation to supervisory staff. Students will have access to all resources normally available at a telephone operator workstation.
- Given a call scenario based on a realistic scenario, learners will simulate the order process with zero mistakes in 10 minutes or less.
Performance Products Slides Product Guides